Uncle Derek
by SEZCPL
Summary: ...In the absence of any other female in the vicinity you decide to molest me." "...you smell too much for me to find you attractive." They're 30 and supposed to be grown up, so why was her bra full of sand? Gentle Dasey...again.
1. A Purple Flannel

Derek was being filmed. The camera went close into his face and its trade mark smirk and then panned back. An amused male voice played a commentary in the background.

"_Derek Venturi. Award-winning cameraman and photojournalist, takes on his latest dangerous assignment. It is a feat which has devastated hardened men in the past. Will our former hockey god be up to the challenge_?"

"Give over, Sam. It's just a dirty diaper. Not like I haven't changed one before."

"God! What the cheerleading squad of SJST would make of you now!"

Derek laughed. "Sammy. Chicks love a guy who isn't afraid of kids. I learnt that when Marti was a baby; again with Robbie. It really helps when your brother is 19 years younger than you. And your Ross is an adorable kid who I will one day be passing my secrets down to. He likes Uncle Derek. Don't you?" Derek grinned down at his baby godson.

Ross took offence at the cold air which suddenly hit his nether regions and peed in a large arc over Derek's pants. Sam found this hilarious, especially as he was still filming.

"What's so amusing?" Sam's wife, Caroline asked, coming into the room.

"Ross just peed on Derek."

Caroline was contrite. "Oh D. I'm sorry! That's what the little purple flannel is for. You cover him up as soon as you undo the diaper. It keeps him warm and stops him peeing."

"Don't worry about it Caroline. Derek's more than used to walking around with pee on his pants." Casey chuckled as she entered the room.

"Thanks Sis. Love you too." Derek muttered, continuing with the diaper changing and patting himself dry with a cloth.

"Did you get it on camera?" Casey asked her former boyfriend, Sam.

"Yeah." Sam grinned broadly.

"Great. The guys at work are putting together a Christmas video of out-takes. Let me have a copy and it'll get circulated by Reuters."

"They have outtakes of you too, Hun." Derek smirked. "Lots..." He finished changing Ross and disappeared off to wash his hands.

Casey laughed. "I have to hand it to you Sam. I never thought I would see the day Derek Venturi _volunteered_ to change his godson's diaper."

"It's about time he had kids of his own." Sam looked pointedly at Casey.

She laughed. "Don't make me laugh, Sammy. What woman would have him?"

Casey decided to wilfully misunderstand Sam's meaning. She knew that Sam thought there was more to her relationship with her step-brother than there was. "Derek is a player. He's always been a player. There will never be a woman stupid enough to settle down with him, even if he ever gets round to asking them to."

"They certainly won't while he's still living with his _step_-sister."

"That's a matter of convenience. We work together. We're both single. It makes sense."

"What makes sense Case, is you two stopping this stupid farce and getting down to the dirty."

"Who's getting down to the dirty?" Derek asked, walking back from the bathroom, suddenly interested, and Sam dropped the subject.

"You're thoughtful." Derek said as he drove Casey back to their apartment.

"Just marvelling, yet again at how Sam is now a happily married dad of two."

"Yeah. Weird! Caroline's a nice girl though. Not my type though."

She smiled. "Part of the Male Code again?"

"Oh yeah!"

"He thinks it's time you settled down."

Derek laughed. "What is it with these happily married types? They feel the need to pressure everyone into joining the 'happily ever after' express."

"Hey! Don't knock the institution. I still have hopes of meeting Mr Right."

Derek pulled a face. She sighed as she continued. "It certainly would put a spanner in the works for our set up, though. One of us getting married." Casey looked out at the road. She liked this bizarre arrangement they had. And whilst part of her did long for a family of her own she really liked her career and their partnership. She didn't want it to end.

"Yeah. Don't worry. No plans." He murmured. She wondered if he was reading her mind. "I'm not sure I'm the marrying kind. I'll be around a while longer to harass you."

"S'ok. I know how things are Derek. Kids or no kids, you're planning on irritating the hell out of me until the day one or other of us dies."

Derek shook his head. "Nope. I'm going to die first."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. So I can _haunt_ the hell out of you."

"Nice bro, nice." She pulled a face.

Derek chuckled.

"No residual pangs of jealousy that Sam's married?"

"God no! I haven't had a thought like that about Sam in…thirteen plus years."

"I guess he just wasn't Max or Truman huh?"

She aimed a punch at his arm. "Are you going to be obnoxious all night or just until we get home?"

"I thought you said I was only obnoxious while I was breathing?" Derek smirked.

"Remind me again why I put up with you?"

"Looks, charm…"

"Big head."

They bantered for a while longer and then silence overtook them.

"Casey?"

"Hmm."

"When do you think we'll get bored of this?"  
"Bored of what?"

"Co-operating."

She pulled a face. "We are not co-operating. That's just a vicious rumour." Then she grinned broadly at him as they pulled up at a red light. He reached out a hand to brush her cheek. They looked at each other for a moment and then the light changed and he slipped the clutch and they were moving again.

Casey watched the familiar scenery pass by, her mind pondering the past, present and future.


	2. History

They had first lived together when they went to university. It was a purely practical arrangement with neither of them being able to afford to live alone, but for some bizarre reason it had worked. Being away from home and now finally growing up, a grudging friendship sort of thing happened. There were things they each kept out of the apartment, such as Derek's girls and Casey's dates, but otherwise life continued much the same as it had when they lived at home. They argued constantly, but they were happy.

So when they graduated university and both started internships at the same major news outlet, they chose to live together again. And they complemented each other; Derek as a cameraman second to none and Casey as a journalist.

Their first assignment together was accidental. There was a story to cover, a cameraman and journalist needed. Casey put the words to Derek's pictures.

But the spin they gave on the story was new, refreshing, cutting edge.

At first, the acclaim was purely academic or came from the people they knew, but then their work began to be acknowledged by a wider audience. The McDonald-Venturi partnership worked and they won their first award.

After four years, they had ten awards and it was clear their careers were set. They were a winning team.

Their current apartment was modern, sophisticated and only an hour from their parents' house. Casey was a home-lover and Derek, who wanted a non-psychotic flat-mate was prepared to give way to her on location at least. Actually, he was prepared to give way to her on so much more but Casey didn't need to know that.

Back to the present and the drive home from their friends' house had made her think about her own life. The comments they had both made about not wanting to settle down had hit her hard. Now just past thirty, she was suddenly beginning to realise that keeping the status quo might mean giving up some of her personal goals – or worse, it might be impossible and she was at risk of losing their partnership. For some reason, and she wasn't sure it was all professional, the thought made her go cold.

As Derek put the car keys down on the kitchen work surface he noticed Casey looking world-weary. It was a sight he had seen several times before and she had every right to. They may very well be only just past thirty but they had travelled the world with their careers, visited war zones to cover conflict, investigated crimes against humanity, highlighted the plight of forgotten corners of society - together they had seen sights that would tear at the heart of even the hardest soul.

He put an arm around her waist and nestled his nose against her neck.

"You look like you could do with snoring in my ear tonight."

He was rewarded with the slump of her body against him and the feather touch of her lips against his collar bone.

"Please."

Don't misunderstand. Their relationship was totally platonic – well they told themselves it was, anyway. On the rare occasions they showed this warmth to each other, they never crossed the invisible line. But they were close; closer than some married couples, because whilst they had never had anything even approaching sex, emotionally, (Derek had become more comfortable with that word lately), they knew each other- inside and out.


	3. Afghanistan

**Afghanistan - 24 months earlier.**

To smooth their transit through the country she was travelling as Casey Venturi, his wife. After her initial hissy fit at the idea, they had laughed rather a lot when he had bought the "cheap" wedding ring at the airport. Actually, it had cost him a couple of thousand US dollars. But Casey didn't need to know that. (There had been cheaper rings but he just couldn't bring himself to buy her one.) And on the plane she had donned the Burkha for her own safety. The dark folds of cloth which exposed only her eyes, hiding her youth, shape and attractiveness so that she could pass freely on the streets. (Derek's response at seeing so much of her covered up was unrepeatable.)

The standard of accommodation they were given in Afghanistan had deteriorated the further away from the airport they got: Three star hotel the first night, one star room for the second night and the back room of a friend of their interpreter for the third night. Currently they were in a tent somewhere in the desert less than five miles from a hot zone with lots of insurgent activity nearby. It was basic but Casey had coped. Derek was impressed. Considering her intolerance towards dirt and disorder as a teenager, she'd grown more accepting, but then they had both changed a lot since school. They were more tolerant of each other for a start. Hence, due to their cover and lack of space they had slept beside each other for three nights now. Access to washing facilities was limited, and it amused him no end to think what a fifteen year old Casey would have made of this. He hoped she'd be proud of herself - he was proud of her. That amused him too. Hell! They had grown up!

Then he thought back to the "sand in her bra" stunt this morning and her scream of "Der-ek!" He smirked. Okay. Maybe they hadn't grown up that much.

He looked at Casey silhouetted against the setting sun. They hadn't seen a bath or a shower in five days. They'd been shot at, had two flat tyres and had to part with a large sum in US dollars to escape bandits.

She looked fantastic. She'd shed the Burkha, resorting to shorts and a t-shirt, and she had let down her hair. Now she looked hot but her eyes were intelligent, trusting, loving and he was reminded yet again why he was here, with her.

Because until she told him there was never a chance, he would always be here - and maybe even then he wouldn't go far.

He finished his "ablutions" - whatever they were- said good night to their translator, entered their tent and slid into the makeshift bed beside her.

"God Derek, you reek!"

"Hate to tell you this honey, but so do you."

Her eyes had widened. "Oh No! Really?"

He nodded. She blushed.

"Sorry." She moved away from him.

"Casey. We're in the middle of a desert with no running water. Do you, seriously, think I care about how you smell?" He reached out and pulled her into his arms. It was the closest they had ever been – and completely against his no PDA rule.

"What are you doing, Derek?" But she didn't move away.

"Holding my "wife", what does it look like?" He grinned at her.

"Ha bloody ha."

He switched to an evil grin and his voice turned creepily seductive. "Come on Casey. It's a relief to remind myself that women have bodies. Out here you all wear those tent things."

"You can remove your hand from there RIGHT now, Venturi! I'm your sister."

Derek laughed. "Step-sister. There's a world of difference.

"You are unbelievable! In the absence of any other female in the vicinity you decide to molest me."

"Hey! If it's molestation you want…"

"DER-EK!"

She turned and looked at him. Then realisation dawned on her.

"You're winding me up aren't you?"

He smiled at her and let her go. "Of course. You smell too much for me to find you attractive."

"Jeez Thanks, bro." Derek chuckled to himself.

They lay beside each other for a while, listening to the sounds of the desert at night. In the distance, the popping of gunfire began. They had been in the country a few days so it wasn't a new sound to them, but it always made them uneasy. Derek reached out for Casey again, and pulled her back into his arms. No joking this time.

"You're missing home, aren't you?" He murmured into her hair.

"A bit. I could murder a shower right now."

"I bet you'd even wait in line behind your asshole of a brother too."

Casey had snickered against his arm. "I wouldn't go that far."

"I miss home too. Especially, Marti. Hell I even miss Edweirdo."

"God! You must be desperate. Well stop panicking. At least one of your siblings is here."

"Do you have to use that word?" He complained.

"What? "God"?"

"No. "Sibling"."

Casey turned her head round to look at him. There was a brief pause and his arms tightened around her. The moment passed and she turned back.

"I need some sleep. Are you comfortable like this?" She liked the feel of his arms around her.

"Yeah." So did Derek.

"Cool. Night Bro."

"Night Sis."

The Sis/bro nicknames had started in university. Derek wasn't exactly sure why. He guessed it has something to do with them reminding themselves that there was complicated baggage between them. Casey had noticed they only ever resorted to it when they were at their closest. Like a warning shot across the bows.

That trip to Afghanistan had resulted in a powerful documentary (his pictures, her words), which had been picked up by every major news outlet in the Western world. It won them their second award.

At the black tie award ceremony, Casey, in a close fitting designer dress which had temporarily, stopped his heart, had mistakenly let him have a moment at the podium during their acceptance speech. He told an off-colour joke about Casey and a camel. The joke and the resulting "Der-ek!" was broadcast to twenty countries and had been uploaded to Youtube before they had even got back to their hotel - a fun-filled cab journey where Nora had screamed down the phone, alternating between congratulating them both and berating him for showing her daughter up.

Casey, surprisingly, had forgiven him almost immediately - or so he thought until a friend from Reuters pointed out the companion Youtube of him vomiting after the same camel ride.


	4. She Looked Like Marti

**Canada - six months later.**

They had had their fill of war zones for a while and then they were asked to do a piece in Canada. Casey jumped at the chance to be home for a while, although they wouldn't be close enough to stay at their parents or their own flat, but she hoped they might get a few days at home when they were done.

The assignment was harder than she thought. The subject matter was the children of drug addicts. They visited a series of institutions from hostels to foster care homes to hospitals to do their research.

It was a harrowing month. The lowest point came when Ariel, a four year old, pathetically named after the mermaid by her sixteen year old addict mother, finally died from the effects of her own addiction. They had grown attached to her over the course of their research. She had had dark hair, dark eyes and reminded them both of a young Marti, although neither of them vocalised that thought.

When they reached their motel afterwards, Derek didn't even ask her if she was upset.

He stopped the car, took the keys from the ignition and they both sat there, for a long time.

He took a deep breath and broke the silence. "I'm going to order pizza and beer. You want in?"

Casey nodded, incapable of speech.

"I'll unlock my side of the door, come through when you are ready." He added, getting out of the car.

They had adjoining rooms at the motel with a communicating door. The desk clerk had recognised a "player" and a hot chick when he saw them.

For once Casey was grateful for the misunderstanding. After she had showered, it meant she could change into pjs and go through into Derek's room without showing the world her nightwear. Derek didn't count.

He was sprawled on the bed, his hair also wet and pjs on. He patted the bed beside him and Casey climbed up next to him, her face drawn.

The pizza arrived then and they ate in silence. Casey hated the way the food and alcohol made her feel slightly better.

"Sleepover?" Derek asked finally, looking fifteen again. Casey nodded.

They cleared the bed of pizza boxes, cleaned their teeth and then she was back in his arms for the first time since Afghanistan.

Derek lay back against his pillow and let her head rest on his shoulder. Her hair, tickled him slightly, but not enough for him to move her. When the tears started, he used the side of his thumb - the rest of his fingers linked in with hers- to brush the wetness away from her cheek. He said nothing. He couldn't speak either. When he closed his own eyes he saw Marti.

At least they both smelled better this time.

With an agreement unspoken, they packed up their equipment the next morning and spent the next week with Marti and their family at their childhood house.

He caught Casey in the early hours one night, standing at her step-sister's bedroom door, watching Marti sleep. He slipped an arm around Casey's waist and they watched the sleeping young woman for a brief moment. Then he pulled Casey away and led her back to her own room.

"Stay." Casey asked. He nodded and for the first time in his life, spent a (chaste) night in that elusive bedroom in his parent's home. She didn't cry this time, just snored gently in his ear.


	5. Derek Does RELATE

**Canada - six further months later.**

For the umpteenth time in his life, Derek was left picking up the pieces of yet another Casey failed relationship. You know what? He actually didn't mind coping with the aftermath.

It would be worse if the relationships lasted.

He didn't understand what it was that made her so lousy at relationships. Casey knew, because almost every time a relationship failed it was always the same reason given. "Casey, I can't handle the way you are with Derek."

Tonight, the new "ex" was Steve; a rather obnoxious (in Derek's opinion) guy who she met when a studio asked him to provide their shuttle service from hotel to studio. Casey had realised quite early on this time this one was not a keeper. She had cried after she'd dumped him though. Derek wondered if it was because she really was upset or whether it was down to her need for Derek to comfort her. He hoped it was the latter.

"He had the morals of an alley cat, Case. He made me look like the pope." They were sitting in his bed at the hotel. Derek's t-shirt looked like a wet dishrag from her tears and he was considering changing it.

She sighed and he put a hand on her back. At least, she thought, it had been her that finished it and not the old "you're too close to your brother" chestnut. The worst one for that had been Simon. She shivered as she remembered _that_ conversation.

"Casey. I feel like your bit on the side - and I don't mean that in a nice way. Your whole life revolves around Derek. Everything else and everyone else is just secondary."

"I work with him Si. Of course he's a big part of my life."

"You don't have to LIVE with him. You need to break free from him or I'm going to start thinking you're in love with your own brother and we don't stand a chance."

Casey had rounded on him then.

"You are asking me to choose between you and Derek?"

He nodded.

Casey stared at him for a moment.

"Well. Based on what you've just said I guess I'm behaving completely in character aren't I?"

She grabbed her clutch bag and stood up.

"Bye Simon." And then she walked away, from the restaurant and yet another failed relationship.

As she made her way to the car she told herself it was because he'd made her choose. Derek never asked that of her.

Derek did ask her what had ended it with Simon, but she never told him.


	6. The Present

**The Present **

So that night when they left Sam and Caroline, and after so long, and so many different countries and occasions, yet again, they were walking into his bedroom together. Funnily enough, this was the first time it had happened in their own apartment.

Casey had already soaked in the bath, changed into her night clothes and cleaned her teeth. She climbed into his bed, picking her usual side and loving the newly laundered sheets she had dressed the bed with earlier in the day; early (ish) night, bath, clean sheets – bliss.

"What are you grinning at?" he smiled at her as he emerged from the bathroom.

"Comfort. I think I may have to change my mattress. Yours is so much more comfortable."

"You are not having my mattress."

"I meant I'd buy another one just like it." She plumped the pillow and lay down, watching him as he got changed. There was no embarrassment between them. They'd shared a tent too many times. They had seen each other naked before. Derek, naked, was definitely NOT an unpleasant sight. Casey smiled.

"Do you realise how off-putting that is?" He noted.

"What is?"

"You, smirking at my naked body."

Casey laughed.

"And laughing is even worse!" He complained.

"Why? Because I'm the only girl in the world who doesn't swoon at your feet?" Actually, she was far from immune to his "charms". It was a guilty pleasure that she could openly watch him. She'd have pleasant dreams tonight. Casey wasn't above the occasional Derek erotic dream. She'd feel guilty later but...

He dressed in his usual pjs and climbed into bed beside her.

"Yeah. Why don't you?"

"Why don't I swoon at your feet?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Because D, I was there in the teenage years, remember? I smelled the sweaty hockey kit, tripped over the dirty underwear and watched you "make-out" with every female with a pulse in the neighbourhood. You hold no mystery to me."

"Hey. I was 17."

"Exactly. It always amazes me how girls marry guys they knew as teenagers."

"Teenage girls are no picnic either. All those…ergh…hormones…and the _tears_!"

Casey shook her head grinning at him. "One day, you'll have that all over again, when you have your own daughter. I can see it now; my niece running to me all upset because her father won't let her date."

Derek felt the kick in his stomach at the word "niece". He forced a grin and rolled on to his back.

"Ew… sprogs. Definitely, not." He lied. He wanted children, but there was a problem. The person he wanted to be the mother. So it wasn't going to happen.

Casey leant over him. "You're serious?"

He put a hand up to the side of her face, feeling her hair hanging down against his arm.

"Casey. Do you really think the world needs a mini-Derek?"

"Good point."

"Besides. No one would be crazy enough to let me breed with them."

Their eyes met. God he wished…

Casey flopped onto her back. "That's a shame. I was looking forward to telling her how to get around her father…"

"Really? Coz you're the expert…"  
"Oh yeah. I know you inside and out, Der."

Actually, he couldn't argue with her…hang on…of course he could.

"Really? Okay. So inside and out eh?"

"Yup."

"Okay. What's my favourite position?"

"What?"

"What's my favourite sexual position?"

"Ew…Der-ek!"

He laughed. She narrowed her eyes.

"On your own in front of a mirror." She retorted bitterly.

"Ew…Cas-ey!"

They laughed together.

_You drive me crazy, Case._

_I'm scared I'm going to lose you Derek._

He slipped an arm around her and she shuffled closer until her head was on his shoulder.

"Are you serious about no kids?"

"Who knows? Right girl maybe. What about you?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm lousy at relationships."

"That's their problem, not yours."

"Thanks." She paused. "I think I want kids. But, I'm not giving up what I've achieved; my career, the partnership."

"So you'll choose me over kids…." He teased.

"Idiot." She looked thoughtful. "Would it be a choice?"

He kissed her forehead. "Don't be ridiculous. We'd work it out somehow. You just need to find a bloke ready to put up with the crap."

"What crap?" She raised her head, ready to get angry.

"I meant our career, hun. Don't get so defensive."

Silence.

"Did you mean it? About haunting me?"

"Casey, Casey, Casey…You seriously think I'd let death get in the way of a good prank?"


	7. The Blurt

**Three days later:**

"You are insane!"

Marti was staring at her brother. It was a 21 year old Marti but she still wielded the same power with Derek.

"About what?"

"I can't believe Casey is still just my sister."

He frowned at her. They were on their way to the mall, Nora having forgotten something important for the big 21st party for Marti. Derek and Marti had volunteered to go – to avoid the hassle of the party he had thought – but now he was getting hassle of a different sort.

"What do you mean…'just your sister'? There's no 'just' about it."

"Der-ek!"

"Okay. Now you are freaking me out coz that was just like Casey."

"Derek. If you don't get your ass in gear she's going to get tired of waiting."

"Who is?"

"Casey."

"Now you sound like Sam. It isn't like that, Smarti."

"Yeah. Right. And my last boyfriend didn't have a tattoo on his…"

"Martha… That is an image I really didn't need."

Marti grinned. "I'm serious though."

"About the tattoo?"

"Der-ek!"

"You spend too much time with Casey."

**An hour later:**

"Okay. Now I think we finally have TOO MANY balloons." Derek announced as he walked into the kitchen. Nora and Casey laughed.

"It's a 21st party, Derek. You can't have too many balloons." His stepmother replied.

"Whatever. Now can I go and finish my birthday present?"

"Sure."

Casey looked up. "Want a hand?"

"What is this? We have a couple of award-winning documentaries together and you think I can't make a Marti tribute on my own?" He paused and grinned. "Sure. Some help would be good."

Casey grinned and pecked her mom on the cheek. "Call me down if you need me."

Nora watched her daughter and step-son leave. Marti walked in.

"Remember when they used to argue?" Marti asked.

"They still do. They just sound even more like a married couple these days."

"Do you think they are happy?"

"Not entirely. But I think they could be."

Derek's room had changed very little. It was slightly tidier, but otherwise it was exactly how Casey remembered it.

"This place brings back memories."

"Oh yeah. If I had a dollar for every time you hit me in this room…"

"You deserved it."

He smiled and fired up the ancient PC on his desk. He also switched on the modern laptop he'd brought with him.

"So what do you need to do?"

"I want some of the early Smarti pictures I took. They're still on here." He motioned to the old PC.

"Derek!" George's voice rang up the stairs. "Can you give me a hand to move this table?"

"Sure. Coming!"

Derek left the room.

When the PC finished booting, Casey started flicking through the Marti pictures. There were a lot.

Idly, she went back to the main folder and saw there were subfolders for each member of their family – including her.

She smiled and then frowned as she noticed the folder size.

It was bigger than Marti's.

Casey opened up the "Casey" folder and gasped at the number of photos Derek had taken of her during their teenage years. There were hundreds. She started opening them, expecting the pictures to be of the pranks he had carried out. But they weren't. Every photo was…flattering.

"You were photogenic." His voice came from the doorway.

They watched each other for a moment and then he moved back to sit beside her. He started manipulating the pictures of Marti on the screen.

"You were my muse." He said, not looking at her. "You still are."

"…I'd like to say that Smarti has grown up over the years, but sadly not. Anyone has only to look at her clothes to realise the eight year old we all remember fondly is still among us." [laughter] and who can forget the animal noises fiasco. God I taught her well… Anyway. I'd just like to raise a toast to my favourite sister who's now legally entitled to…" "DER-EK!" [much laughter].

The party started to mingle again and Derek made his way over to Casey.

"Hey Princess."

"Did you really have to make that crack about Marti's underwear. Talk about lowering the tone!"

"Marti started it. She told me this afternoon her ex has a tattoo."

Casey raised an eyebrow. "Chris?" Derek nodded.

"Where?"

His smirk grew.

Casey's jaw dropped. "You are kidding me…."

He shook his head.

"Well that's destroyed my innocence." She grinned. "How the hell does she know anyway?"

Derek frowned. "I'm trying not to think about that."

Casey laughed. "You're going to make a great father, Derek."

"You wanna volunteer?" He blurted.

_Shit! Did he really just say that out loud? Talk about open mouth, insert foot._

Casey looked surprised. She turned on her tail and walked away.

He found her in the kitchen. She was leaning against the sink.

"Sorry." He muttered in her ear.

"Are you?" She turned and looked at him. It was an intense gaze as though she really wanted to know the truth.

He closed his eyes and spoke. "No. I'm not sorry. The baby thing? I'd only do that with you."

Silence. Stunned silence. Neither of them could believe he had just said that.

George entered the kitchen. "Derek. Would you mind going into the garage and getting the rest of the beer out, we're running low?"

"Sure dad." It must be an automatic response because he had no idea how his mouth formed words right then.

He walked into the garage and away from her.

Casey was left in the kitchen. By the time she had realised what he had said, he'd disappeared again to help George. Her mind was all over the place. Derek wanted to have _children_ with her? Did he really just confess to caring about her in a totally non-sibling way?


	8. The Party

The party was in full swing. The house was heaving. Derek's stomach felt like doing the same. He was a complete screw up. He'd just risked everything for a cheap comeback line.

No. _Be honest with yourself, Venturi!_ He'd just told Casey the truth.

Regardless. He felt like shit.

"You okay, bro?" Edwin asked coming to stand beside him. "You look a bit pale."

"I feel like shit." He replied, honest again.

"You look like shit. But hey what's new?" Casey teased as she joined them. _How come she was allowed to be so cheerful?_ Well that was obvious. Derek _had_ just laid himself out ready for the vulture to tuck in.

Something gently brushed the small of his back. A hand rested loosely on his waist. He turned in surprise to his step-sister.

Casey was standing beside him, insulting the hell out of him with her mouth, but her arm was round his waist, her body close to his and when he looked her in the eyes he saw amusement. But the amusement was gentle. She met his gaze for a moment and he felt her thumb trace a pattern on his side. He tentatively slid his own arm around her shoulders. Edwin disappeared to get them some drinks and Derek leant in towards her ear.

"Still talking to me then?"

"Hey. Can't afford to lose you. No one else gives as good arguments as you. I'm even considering the old die early, haunt Derek idea myself." She grinned and leaned towards him. "We need to talk though."

"Great." He muttered in a tone that clearly said the opposite. "Can't wait."

Casey chuckled and squeezed his waist.

He didn't see her for the rest of the evening. He was rather relieved. Instead, they spent a fairly enjoyable evening with their family and friends. – Although Derek was finding the constant "so when are you going to make an honest woman of her" conversations rather tedious. So much so by the time he and his father got round to having a conversation, he blew up.

"So Derek, when are you and Casey…"

"We're not!"

George looked confused.

"I was going to ask when you and Casey were next off on your travels."

Derek looked at him and his shoulders slump. "Sorry. I'm just sick of people assuming that Casey and I are together."

"You are."

"I mean _together_ together."

"Oh." George took a sip of his wine. "You are close."

"She's my best friend. Doesn't mean we're sleeping together though." _Well actually, yes it does, but not _that_ way. Unfortunately._

"What does Casey say about it all?"

"She's amused for the most part. I'm waiting for it to start getting to her to the extent that she dumps the whole partnership thing and moves on."

"Is there a risk of that?"

"Come on Dad this is Casey we're talking about."


	9. The Sleepover

The last guest left at 2am and by general consensus they left the clearing up until the morning. Casey had already disappeared by the time Derek went up to bed. He was rather relieved he was the only person who wasn't sharing a room because he knew he was going to find it hard to sleep. The girls were all paired up so that Marti's friends could stay over, and Robbie had given up his room and was sleeping on Edwin's floor. By 3am, the house was silent – and Derek was still awake.

He was lying in bed staring at the wall when his bedroom door opened. Casey's head popped round the door. "Are you decent?"

"No. Never have been."

She grinned, shut the door and came all the way into the room.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Can't sleep."

"Any particular reason?" She climbed into bed beside him.

He ignored her question. "Are you seriously planning on sleeping in my bed tonight? What if Dad or Nora comes in?"

"Highly unlikely, D. Besides, you're my brother." She grinned at him.

"Thanks Casey." He threw her a dirty look.

She propped herself up on her hand and watched him, sensing his discomfort. She put a hand up to touch the side of his face.

"Just so you understand, Derek. There is nothing that you could ever say to me that would stop me wanting to work with you and very little that would ever stop me wanting to live with you. We're a team."

"It just sort of slipped out." He meant the blurt.

She giggled. "…as the actress said to the bishop."

He pulled a face, but it was an amused face.

"Tease me again, McDonald and I will tickle you into submission."

"Submission to what?" She grinned. He sat up and grabbed her feet. Casey squealed.

"Oh that's good. Wake the whole house." He said and tickled her again.

The game continued for a few moments and then Casey sat up.

"Derek?"

"Hmm." He didn't like how serious she looked.

"You have 500 photos of me on your PC. You haven't had a serious girlfriend in the whole time I've been living with you. We spend most of our waking hours together, and just recently some of our sleeping hours together too. Plus, you just told me, you'd break your no-kids rule for me." She put a hand on his arm. "Is there something I should know?"

He looked up at her. "Go figure."

"You should have told me."

Then she climbed out of bed, and she was gone.

Derek sighed. _Great! Way to go idiot. Screw your whole life up!_

His bedroom door opened again and she was back with a very old shoe box, tied up with ribbon. She handed it to him and climbed back on to the bed.

"What's this?"

"Birthday and Christmas Cards for about seven years worth of events."

He opened the box and looked inside. They were all still sealed, faded ink on the envelopes. They were all addressed to him.

"Pick one, any one."

So he did.

The ink inside the card was fresher than that on the envelope because it had been hidden from the light.

"To Derek, my step-brother, who will never be my brother, because I will always want you to be so much more. All my love, always. Casey."

He glanced up at her.

"I never managed to give you these ones. I didn't have the courage."

Derek linked their hands and then brushed her cheek. "We've wasted rather a lot of time."

She grinned her agreement, leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

Never let it be said that Derek couldn't react quickly under pressure. As soon as he felt her lips against his, he responded. His hands moved to her waist and he turned and pressed her against the bed.

They broke for air and he rested his forehead against hers.

"This is a big deal. Isn't it?" He whispered.

"Oh yeah."

"The forever kind?"

"I hope so."

He smiled. "Yeah. So do I." He bent towards her and the kissing began in earnest again. His hands were exploring and Casey pushed the thought that this was happening in their parents' house to the back of her mind and concentrated on Derek.


	10. The Morning After

**The Morning After**

Derek emerged from his room carrying his towel and heading for the bathroom. For once he was confident he wasn't going to get beaten to the shower by Casey.

Lizzie was standing in Casey's doorway looking fresher than she should considering the amount of alcohol he had seen her put away.

"Morning Liz. How's the head?"

She yawned. "Fine. I'm a postgrad student, D, I can hold my alcohol. Have you seen Casey? She's not in her room."

Derek looked thoughtful and then he grinned. It was a genuine grin, not a trace of a smirk. He walked to his own bedroom door, opened it and poked his head round.

"You decent?"

The answer was obviously affirmative because he opened the door wider and Lizzie could see into the room.

Casey was still in his bed, the covers pulled up to her neck, but Lizzie would be an idiot if she didn't understand the situation and Lizzie wasn't an idiot.

"When did this happen?" She made a waving movement with her hand. "The deed I mean. I know the foreplay has been going on for a decade and a half."

Casey blushed. Derek chuckled.

Lizzie laughed. "At Marti's 21st?! God! Don't tell her. We'll never hear the end of it."

"Tell me what?" A voice came from behind them. Marti came to Derek's bedroom door to see what they were looking at.

The squeal probably woke up the whole house. Lizzie smirked at Casey.

"If I were you I would get out of bed and put some clothes on. Mom will be up in a minute to see what's going on."


	11. Epilogue An Announcement

**Epilogue - An Announcement**

Newsweek article – five years in the future.

"…_and on a different note, congratulations are due this week to the Venturi partnership, which has been announced as the recipient of this years Steinman prize for Journalism. The husband and wife team (winners of some fifteen other awards between them already) were awarded the prize for their dramatic take on the deforestation of the rainforests. The documentary, largely thought to be one of the most riveting yet comprehensive renditions of the catastrophe was even more remarkable given Casey Venturi's pregnancy during the entire project. Their resulting (second) daughter, Alice Emily was born last month, and the couple are already planning on taking their family back for a follow-up report in a few years, "when the children can hold their own cameras." They put their ability to balance successful careers as photojournalists and parenthood down to "a very organised wife and very understanding grandparents." _

_Very understanding grandparents indeed, when one remembers that Derek and Casey Venturi started out as step-siblings!"_


End file.
